Terrific breakdown of this timeline. The Stepford Wives is a very effective horror film because if you're someone like me, it elicits a lot of powerful emotions. I would choose my wife over a robot any day and turn Stepford upside down if put in a position in which I was expected to just be okay with swapping her out or altering her or doing anything to compromise who she is.
That ATM gag in the remake gave me the exact same response, I remember being a kid and yelling at the screen, “Microchips, Wait there not robots then what about the fucking money, did they build bank in them as well.” I use to get needlessly upset over stupid little thing like that as a kid. Like it’s just a gag calm down, is what I would say to my younger self. The Micro Chips could explain them not reacting to being burned as you could argue that they’re ability to react to pain is being suppressed by the chips, but it wouldn’t explain why there isn’t any harm to their skin. So what probably happened was that originally the wives were going to still be robots in the end, but the studio probably demanded a happier ending which forced them to alter the ending so that the wives could be freed in the end. When watching this as a kid I use to assume that they where actually cyborgs, trying to make sense of the microchip explanation. So still human just enhanced giving them the abilities in the film.
What made the original Stepford Wives hit were two anxieties that were prevalent in the 1970's 1) That Feminism was destroying the family ideal and 2) That robots can replace us all. We've moved beyond these anxieties, which is why the remakes and sequels don't really work. Keep up the great work, Josh, Love your channel.
Actually the first can be replaced with current ideals of sexual identity that a lot of people think are destroying family ideal…a unironically good take on the woke ideal
Seeing Don Johnson in Revenge makes me wonder if he said something like "Listen lady, you're acting pretty nuts right now!". Or if he had a Stepford gator as a pet.
You just got a rare glimpse of one of the jewels of the 1980s: The TV Punkers. They can't actually shave their heads into Mohawks, so they use temp color creme and mold into faux-hawks. They like to wear studded leather and dog collars. They favor large earring dangles instead of large-gage piercings.
Thanks for profiling this movie! It’s one of my all-time favorites. The book is also excellent (written by Ira Levin, who also penned “Rosemary’s Baby” and a slew of others). I’m a child of the 70s and adore the aesthetics and the overall creepiness of bright and sunny suburbia. 🤷♀Nice job! I love your 80s Project videos, as well!
I've always considered this more horror rather than sci-fi, especially with that ending. Fun fact: I read the novel about thirty years ago, and, if I remember correctly, the novel never confirms anything nefarious is happening. It's possible to interpret things in the novel as just the women changing naturally as a part of suburban life. I thought that was interesting.
The 1975 original was my favorite, and especially with going for the downbeat ending (although I too liked to believe there was a spark I'm Joanna's eyes that indicated she might have escaped and was secretly plotting her vengeance from the inside). The others: always nice to see Sharon Gless and Barbara Eden! I missed the husbands, and wished I'd missed the remake, although mercifully I've forgotten most of it, except for the inflating breasts.
You had it right. It was Cagney. Lacy was played by Tyne Daly, who has black hair. She was also in the Dirty Harry movie THE ENFORCER. She was also on JUDGING AMY, as the titular characters mother. Sharen Gless is the one on this movie, and, was also on QUEER AS FOLK as, in my opinion, the best character on the show. Back to DIRTY HARRY, you need to do a timeline on that series.
1) I'm a little surprised you didn't at least mention Disturbing Behavior in context of this video. 2) I know what to see a movie just called Stepford, where the men are replacing their wives with robots, while the women are hypnotizing their husbands, and the children are being replaced by aliens.
The remake having a troubled production explains a lot. The contradictions as to whether they're androids or humans controlled by implanted chips must be a result of unfinished reshoots.
I was about to type a similar reply. Still, it amazes me they couldn't be bothered to pick which one they wanted the ending to be and then remove the scenes that absolutely contradict it.
yeah, the original ending was essentially the same as the original. she's killed and turned into a robot. test audiences hated it, so they reshot the new one with no one being a robot, just with chips in their heads and revealing glenn close as the real villain.
I prefer the original book where you're never sure if the women are robots, if they had some sort of robotic brain put in them, or they were brainwashed. Just that they went from women who thought for themselves to ones who let the men think for them.
The fact that the husbands are so willing to murder and replace their wives is just too disturbing for me. True Horror. Also the remake was so bad, the worst part being how obvious it was they were robots but they wanted to have a happy ending so they half assed it.
The 1972 satirical feminist horror novel of the same name, which this movie was based on. Was written by novelist/playwright ''Ira Levin''. Levin's other notable works include (A Kiss Before Dying) 1953, (This Perfect Day) 1970, (The Boys from Brazil) 1976 and (Rosemary's Baby) 1967. What's interesting is how well known Australian historian, academic and author' 'Michelle Arrow''...Who is currently a Professor of History at [Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia]. Described Ira Levin's 1972 novel ''The Stepford Wives'' as, not only a satire of male fears of women's liberation, but a savage view of Heterosexual marriage. In this telling, a man would rather kill his wife and replace her with an (Android duplicate mindless drone). Rather than commit her to equality and recognize her as a whole person.
I'm trying to find Stepford Children and Stepford Husbands, i have the Original and Remake on DVD and Revenge of The Stepford Wives on VHS under the title Terror in New York
I loved the original Stepford Wives. It seemed to be made to be serious as opposed to comedic. The other sequels/remake... nah. The original kept you guessing a little as to what was going on exactly, although I never did get exactly what they did. Since Joanna's replacement had no eyes, and they seemed to put a bit of emphasis on the eyes, I thought they took her eyeballs and put them surgically into the new Joanna. In a way, I guess it's better to leave you wondering. Anyway, I liked the timeline video and great job. Looking forward to whatever video comes next.
The remake was so dumb. I know there were reshoots, but they could have easily edited out the scenes that made it look like the women were robots. Especially the part where Faith Hill's character spits out the money like a human ATM.
I love the idea of the Stepford *family member* movies. It’s a great way to do social commentary in a scary movie. The reboot being a comedy was just stupid. They should have made it a straight parody, maybe then it might have been funny.
One of the first films I saw as a pre-teen to genuinely unnerve me.
I would have thought Roland Emmerich was Godzilla’s greatest foe.
That's a lot of fish
Terrific breakdown of this timeline. The Stepford Wives is a very effective horror film because if you're someone like me, it elicits a lot of powerful emotions. I would choose my wife over a robot any day and turn Stepford upside down if put in a position in which I was expected to just be okay with swapping her out or altering her or doing anything to compromise who she is.
That ATM gag in the remake gave me the exact same response, I remember being a kid and yelling at the screen, “Microchips, Wait there not robots then what about the fucking money, did they build bank in them as well.” I use to get needlessly upset over stupid little thing like that as a kid. Like it’s just a gag calm down, is what I would say to my younger self.
The Micro Chips could explain them not reacting to being burned as you could argue that they’re ability to react to pain is being suppressed by the chips, but it wouldn’t explain why there isn’t any harm to their skin. So what probably happened was that originally the wives were going to still be robots in the end, but the studio probably demanded a happier ending which forced them to alter the ending so that the wives could be freed in the end. When watching this as a kid I use to assume that they where actually cyborgs, trying to make sense of the microchip explanation. So still human just enhanced giving them the abilities in the film.
I really enjoy it when you cover relatively unique franchises like this, i.e., film series' that don't get discussed much anymore. Good work.
What made the original Stepford Wives hit were two anxieties that were prevalent in the 1970's 1) That Feminism was destroying the family ideal and 2) That robots can replace us all. We've moved beyond these anxieties, which is why the remakes and sequels don't really work. Keep up the great work, Josh, Love your channel.
Actually the first can be replaced with current ideals of sexual identity that a lot of people think are destroying family ideal…a unironically good take on the woke ideal
@@killerzombie2171 We haven't moved beyond the first anxiety, we've seen its fruition
It's one of my all-time❤ FAVORITES ❤
Seeing Don Johnson in Revenge makes me wonder if he said something like "Listen lady, you're acting pretty nuts right now!". Or if he had a Stepford gator as a pet.
The final scene should have been him driving while "In the Air Tonight" plays and his partner slowly loads a shotgun.
Your references always get me BUT that Hedwig one might be your best yet!!!
You just got a rare glimpse of one of the jewels of the 1980s: The TV Punkers.
They can't actually shave their heads into Mohawks, so they use temp color creme and mold into faux-hawks. They like to wear studded leather and dog collars. They favor large earring dangles instead of large-gage piercings.
I like to belive the two made for tv movies are in the same universe, and the second one is the wives from the first taking revenge.
Jordan Peele's "Get Out" (2017) heavily borrowed A LOT from the original Stepford Wives.
Don't Worry Darling seems to be a kind of unofficial remake of The Stepford Wives.
Excellent as always big thanks dude
Thanks for profiling this movie! It’s one of my all-time favorites. The book is also excellent (written by Ira Levin, who also penned “Rosemary’s Baby” and a slew of others). I’m a child of the 70s and adore the aesthetics and the overall creepiness of bright and sunny suburbia. 🤷♀Nice job! I love your 80s Project videos, as well!
Love to binge watch your vids
I looked up Ira Levin on Wikipedia and was astonished by both the breadth of his writing and how many of his books have been turned into films.
I've always considered this more horror rather than sci-fi, especially with that ending.
Fun fact: I read the novel about thirty years ago, and, if I remember correctly, the novel never confirms anything nefarious is happening. It's possible to interpret things in the novel as just the women changing naturally as a part of suburban life. I thought that was interesting.
The Stepford Children, remade as Disturbing Behavior
The 1975 original was my favorite, and especially with going for the downbeat ending (although I too liked to believe there was a spark I'm Joanna's eyes that indicated she might have escaped and was secretly plotting her vengeance from the inside).
The others: always nice to see Sharon Gless and Barbara Eden! I missed the husbands, and wished I'd missed the remake, although mercifully I've forgotten most of it, except for the inflating breasts.
I needed this real bad! Thank you.
You had it right. It was Cagney. Lacy was played by Tyne Daly, who has black hair. She was also in the Dirty Harry movie THE ENFORCER. She was also on JUDGING AMY, as the titular characters mother. Sharen Gless is the one on this movie, and, was also on QUEER AS FOLK as, in my opinion, the best character on the show. Back to DIRTY HARRY, you need to do a timeline on that series.
1) I'm a little surprised you didn't at least mention Disturbing Behavior in context of this video.
2) I know what to see a movie just called Stepford, where the men are replacing their wives with robots, while the women are hypnotizing their husbands, and the children are being replaced by aliens.
The remake having a troubled production explains a lot. The contradictions as to whether they're androids or humans controlled by implanted chips must be a result of unfinished reshoots.
I was about to type a similar reply.
Still, it amazes me they couldn't be bothered to pick which one they wanted the ending to be and then remove the scenes that absolutely contradict it.
yeah, the original ending was essentially the same as the original. she's killed and turned into a robot. test audiences hated it, so they reshot the new one with no one being a robot, just with chips in their heads and revealing glenn close as the real villain.
Great Angry Inch reference.
Yay timelines 🔥
Idea:The Stepford cats
Is the same thing but with cats
I do love James coco as an actor, he was good in The Ray Bradbury Theater episode, Marionettes Inc
Good job, Josh
I dont know if its count, but movie Disturbing Behavior from 1998 got similar concept like the Stepford Wives.
This is one of those series I've never really got into I know about them but wasn't my thing.
This whole series needs a bluray release. Come on Kino Lorber!
I prefer the original book where you're never sure if the women are robots, if they had some sort of robotic brain put in them, or they were brainwashed. Just that they went from women who thought for themselves to ones who let the men think for them.
The fact that the husbands are so willing to murder and replace their wives is just too disturbing for me. True Horror.
Also the remake was so bad, the worst part being how obvious it was they were robots but they wanted to have a happy ending so they half assed it.
I think the stepford husbands was a missed opportunity. It could have been a good comentary on 90s wine mom white feminism and male stereotypes.
The 1972 satirical feminist horror novel of the same name, which this movie was based on. Was written by novelist/playwright ''Ira Levin''. Levin's other notable works include (A Kiss Before Dying) 1953, (This Perfect Day) 1970, (The Boys from Brazil) 1976 and (Rosemary's Baby) 1967.
What's interesting is how well known Australian historian, academic and author' 'Michelle Arrow''...Who is currently a Professor of History at [Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia]. Described Ira Levin's 1972 novel ''The Stepford Wives'' as, not only a satire of male fears of women's liberation, but a savage view of Heterosexual marriage. In this telling, a man would rather kill his wife and replace her with an (Android duplicate mindless drone). Rather than commit her to equality and recognize her as a whole person.
so its misandrist propaganda
The 2004 version is just supposed to be a straight up comedy, right?
supposed to be. but, yeah, not successful at it.
I'm trying to find Stepford Children and Stepford Husbands, i have the Original and Remake on DVD and Revenge of The Stepford Wives on VHS under the title Terror in New York
How did you manage to watch The Stepford Children?
You may as well have thrown “Disturbing Behavior” into this timeline. It fits in to the series about as well as the real sequels do.
As well as "Get Out" (2017).
@@Danimal77 very true.
I loved the original Stepford Wives. It seemed to be made to be serious as opposed to comedic. The other sequels/remake... nah. The original kept you guessing a little as to what was going on exactly, although I never did get exactly what they did. Since Joanna's replacement had no eyes, and they seemed to put a bit of emphasis on the eyes, I thought they took her eyeballs and put them surgically into the new Joanna. In a way, I guess it's better to leave you wondering. Anyway, I liked the timeline video and great job. Looking forward to whatever video comes next.
Saving Don’t Worry Darling for the rip-offs list, I presume?
Not that it’s really worth subjecting yourself to
So Don't Worry Darling didn't make it into the list?
not on the official timeline. maybe if i ever do a "Stepford Wives Ripoff" list
The remake was so dumb. I know there were reshoots, but they could have easily edited out the scenes that made it look like the women were robots. Especially the part where Faith Hill's character spits out the money like a human ATM.
I love the idea of the Stepford *family member* movies. It’s a great way to do social commentary in a scary movie. The reboot being a comedy was just stupid. They should have made it a straight parody, maybe then it might have been funny.
First I think.
The remake is better